That combination has long been an elusive Holy Grail of
public-land forestry in the Northwest. Intense old-growth
logging through the 1980s led to a public and legal backlash
that brought cutting to a near-standstill. Logging levels
remain depressed, with projects often stymied by lawsuits.
Many sawmills that depend on federal timber have shut down
and others are on the brink.

Without sawmills it becomes increasingly difficult to thin
overgrown and flammable forests, even when environmental
groups often opposed to logging agree something needs to be
done.

Wyden's proposal calls on local collaborative groups
to design forest projects that include logging, with a goal
of reducing wildfire risk and breaking up dense tree
plantations. If they meet certain standards, the projects
would be exempt from environmental reviews and appeals that
often delay forest work.

Although the strategy is not yet in the form of a bill, it
has support from two top forest scientists and tentative
interest from environmental groups and the timber industry.
But Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., who has also proposed
legislation breaking the forest gridlock, warned that
it's easier said than done.

Even bills that seem to have broad public support can be
scuttled by extreme views from either the logging or
environmental community, especially in Oregon, DeFazio said
Thursday.

"We have the most entrenched and polarized
environmental and industry groups in Oregon," DeFazio
said. "I'm happy to have Ron join me in the arena
here. I get tired of ducking all the bricks, and now half of
them will be aimed at him."

Although Wyden's proposal is unlikely to make it
through Congress in a busy election year, he described it in
the Senate Thursday as laying groundwork for a new approach
to Oregon forests when a new president takes office. His
proposal applies only to Oregon, but his staff said it could
be expanded to include other states too.

Key elements of Wyden's plan:

No logging of trees older than 120 years in damp forests
common to the west side of the Cascade Range, and no cutting
of trees more than 150 years old in drier eastside forests.
Also, no clear-cutting.

Federal land agencies would be directed to work on projects
that restore forest health, reduce fire risk, protect
sensitive lands and promote sustainable logging across large
areas of landscape.

Each national forest and U.S. Bureau of Land Management
district must develop a large scale forest restoration
project up to 25,000 acres using a local collaborative
group.

Independent federal observers would monitor logging to be
sure no old-growth trees are cut, and any areas violating
the rules would lose their authority for such projects.

Tax credits would be available for environmentally
sensitive logging equipment and sawmills designed to cut
smaller-diameter trees common in overgrown forests and
plantations.

Federal forest managers have already shifted away from
controversial old-growth logging and clear-cutting, finding
that they get more done when focused on less-contentious
thinning projects. The trouble is that those often do not
bring in as much revenue because the trees are smaller and
contain less wood.

But Norm Johnson, a professor of forest resources at Oregon
State University, said Wyden's strategy could create a
much larger stream of timber than has come off federal lands
in recent years.

University of Washington professor Jerry Franklin said
Northwest forests are facing serious danger as global
warming accelerates wildfires and global competition
undercuts the region's timber industry. He said
vulnerable forests, especially drier forests, will lose
old-growth trees and all if they burn up.

Tom Partin of the American Forest Resources Council, an
industry group in Portland, said the timber industry would
work with Wyden.

"There comes a time when the forest needs some help,
the climate needs some help, the industry needs some
help," he said. "We want to be at the table."

That combination has long been an elusive Holy Grail of
public-land forestry in the Northwest. Intense old-growth
logging through the 1980s led to a public and legal backlash
that brought cutting to a near-standstill. Logging levels
remain depressed, with projects often stymied by lawsuits.
Many sawmills that depend on federal timber have shut down
and others are on the brink.

Without sawmills it becomes increasingly difficult to thin
overgrown and flammable forests, even when environmental
groups often opposed to logging agree something needs to be
done.

Wyden's proposal calls on local collaborative groups
to design forest projects that include logging, with a goal
of reducing wildfire risk and breaking up dense tree
plantations. If they meet certain standards, the projects
would be exempt from environmental reviews and appeals that
often delay forest work.

Although the strategy is not yet in the form of a bill, it
has support from two top forest scientists and tentative
interest from environmental groups and the timber industry.
But Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., who has also proposed
legislation breaking the forest gridlock, warned that
it's easier said than done.

Even bills that seem to have broad public support can be
scuttled by extreme views from either the logging or
environmental community, especially in Oregon, DeFazio said
Thursday.

"We have the most entrenched and polarized
environmental and industry groups in Oregon," DeFazio
said. "I'm happy to have Ron join me in the arena
here. I get tired of ducking all the bricks, and now half of
them will be aimed at him."

Although Wyden's proposal is unlikely to make it
through Congress in a busy election year, he described it in
the Senate Thursday as laying groundwork for a new approach
to Oregon forests when a new president takes office. His
proposal applies only to Oregon, but his staff said it could
be expanded to include other states too.

Key elements of Wyden's plan:

No logging of trees older than 120 years in damp forests
common to the west side of the Cascade Range, and no cutting
of trees more than 150 years old in drier eastside forests.
Also, no clear-cutting.

Federal land agencies would be directed to work on projects
that restore forest health, reduce fire risk, protect
sensitive lands and promote sustainable logging across large
areas of landscape.

Each national forest and U.S. Bureau of Land Management
district must develop a large scale forest restoration
project up to 25,000 acres using a local collaborative
group.

Independent federal observers would monitor logging to be
sure no old-growth trees are cut, and any areas violating
the rules would lose their authority for such projects.

Tax credits would be available for environmentally
sensitive logging equipment and sawmills designed to cut
smaller-diameter trees common in overgrown forests and
plantations.

Federal forest managers have already shifted away from
controversial old-growth logging and clear-cutting, finding
that they get more done when focused on less-contentious
thinning projects. The trouble is that those often do not
bring in as much revenue because the trees are smaller and
contain less wood.

But Norm Johnson, a professor of forest resources at Oregon
State University, said Wyden's strategy could create a
much larger stream of timber than has come off federal lands
in recent years.

University of Washington professor Jerry Franklin said
Northwest forests are facing serious danger as global
warming accelerates wildfires and global competition
undercuts the region's timber industry. He said
vulnerable forests, especially drier forests, will lose
old-growth trees and all if they burn up.

Tom Partin of the American Forest Resources Council, an
industry group in Portland, said the timber industry would
work with Wyden.

"There comes a time when the forest needs some help,
the climate needs some help, the industry needs some
help," he said. "We want to be at the table."